Plastic Model Mojo
Plastic Model Mojo, a podcast dedicated to scale modeling, as well as the news and events around the hobby
Plastic Model Mojo
PMM Twelve Minute Modelsphere: June 2025
Summer has officially arrived in the modeling world, and with it comes a fresh update from the Plastic Model Mojo team. This month's 12-Minute Model Sphere takes listeners through the bustling halls of Wonderfest, now bigger than ever before. Cars packed every available space around the convention hotel as record numbers of modelers and enthusiasts gathered to celebrate their craft.
The model room was nothing short of spectacular, featuring creations that Kentucky Dave describes as "stopping you dead in your tracks." Even for those without a particular interest in sci-fi modeling, the level of creativity and craftsmanship on display was undeniably impressive. The Gundam category showed remarkable growth this year, spanning multiple tables and attracting significant attention from attendees. Through conversations with listeners, industry representatives, and event organizers, it's clear that the modeling community continues to thrive and evolve.
Looking ahead, the hosts preview two exciting feature episodes coming this June. Episode 142 will continue the popular Shop Talk format, while Episode 143 welcomes guest Harvey Lowe, who recently returned from a modeling-focused expedition to Japan. Meanwhile, the Dojo modeling community has surpassed 5,300 members and remains highly active with over 20 posts daily. The hosts are launching a new initiative to formally recognize community members who assist fellow modelers, encouraging listeners to use the Dojo as a resource for technique advice, locating rare parts, or connecting with like-minded enthusiasts. Whether you're a veteran builder or just getting started, this episode highlights the supportive community that makes scale modeling such a rewarding hobby. Join us as we celebrate the people and events that keep our modeling passion alive!
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Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.
Kev, tell everyone why you started Kitmask.
Kevin (Kitmasx):Well, manually masking canopies sucks, and somebody had to step in to save those countless kits from the shelf of doom.
Janelle (Kitmasx):And now we've got over 400 sets and counting. We've got old kits, new kits, forgotten kits, you name it.
Kevin (Kitmasx):Yeah, and if we don't have it, just ask.
Janelle (Kitmasx):Yeah, people don't realize. We take customer requests and we even have a service that gets you canopy masks for free.
Kevin (Kitmasx):We do.
Janelle (Kitmasx):Our masks are precision cut. They fit well, they're easy to apply. Kevin cuts and tests every set.
Kevin (Kitmasx):Several times.
Janelle (Kitmasx):Yeah, precision is kind of his thing.
Kevin (Kitmasx):And Janelle. She does everything else. She cares about each customer and is the heart of our business.
Janelle (Kitmasx):If you ever reach out, you're talking directly to us.
Kevin (Kitmasx):Real people, real modelers, and if you don't love your masks, we'll refund or replace them. No questions asked.
Janelle (Kitmasx):Visit kitmaskcom, join the mailing list and treat yourself to easier, cleaner masking.
Kevin (Kitmasx):Kitmask made by a modeler for modelers.
Janelle (Kitmasx):Hey, what about me?
Kevin (Kitmasx):You're not a modeler.
Mike:Oh, all right, kentucky, dave June is here, summer's here yes, it is. Think it's going to stick this time.
Kentucky Dave:Well, look, today was 87 degrees, so it at least looks like it's going to stick. So you know, that's the kind of weather we need in June.
Mike:Well, folks, welcome to the June 12-Minute Model Sphere brought to you by Kitmask, and I want to also mention that please visit their site. They're great folks and you're going to want to use that Mojo 15 for 15% off your first order.
Kentucky Dave:And I can testify they have good product.
Mike:I used it recently well yes, that was mentioned in the last feature episode. But, kevin and janelle, sorry, I've had some stuff going on. I haven't got that little blurb added to your, your ad, so we'll get that taken care of, hopefully this time around this month, month sometime. That's the way it goes, dave. I've been busy, a little bit busy.
Kentucky Dave:Well, you've been gallivanting in Florida. Well, that's Catching fish and all.
Mike:Well, that's how we normally start this thing. Where have we been? Well-, where have you been? I've been to Wonderfest, well, good, I'm glad one of us made it.
Kentucky Dave:You've got to get back to Wonderfest. I know you've had a little bit of a run, but I thought I was there last year. You were last year, you missed the year before, but it just depends on when your vacation falls. Every year I keep thinking this show cannot get bigger, and every year it gets bigger. But you're better organized, can't get much bigger.
Kentucky Dave:I came on Saturday around noon. When I got there there were cars parked in places I had never seen them parked before, way, way away from the convention hotel. Now I happened to get lucky driving through the hotel parking lot and caught somebody who was leaving, but it was unbelievably crowded. I talked to the folks at registration and they were selling more than they ever had as far as day tickets, weekend tickets, ever had. As far as day tickets, weekend tickets. You know there's a limited amount of space in that hotel, but Dave Hodge and his group really have figured out a way to use every single inch of it.
Kentucky Dave:Vendors were fantastic. The model room was unbelievably impressive. I mean you know I don't care whether science fiction and all of that stuff is your thing you cannot help but walk through that contest area and be fascinated by the entries. I mean some of them will stop you dead in your tracks. By the way, the Gundam area clearly a growth area this year. Tables of Gundam.
Kentucky Dave:I got to meet a lot of our listeners and I got to talk with some guests and people that we know in the modeling community. Got to talk with Dave Hodge who runs Wonderfest, got to visit briefly with Round 2, with Squadron Absolutely a wonderful time and I was telling several modelers who have little or no interest in sci-fi you still need to come down and at least experience Wonderfest one time, because you will see stuff that is super impressive, that is just really, really inventive and I can't recommend it enough. Well, glad you got to go. Yes, I really did. I was sorry you weren't there, I was sorry we couldn't sit down at a table and record. At least I got to go and after having missed amps, it was nice to actually go to get to a model contest.
Mike:We might have a dry summer. Dave, I don't know that we're going to get anywhere until the national convention, so uh.
Kentucky Dave:I don't think we are. I mean as much as I'd like to hit one or two between now and then. Uh, just family obligations and and stuff like that are are making it less and less likely. But you do what you can and you don't feel guilty about it. It's a hobby, it comes after our obligation.
Mike:Well, dave, we got two feature episodes in June. I am looking forward to both of these Episode 142 and 143. I know we just had Shop Talk with Evan in episode 141, but episode 142 is going to be another Shop Talk episode we're going to. You know, we've gotten in the habit of doing one of our feature episodes a month is going to be that format and it's proven to be fairly popular with the listeners, so we're just going to keep doing it. So, shop Talk for episode 142. And it's partially due to scheduling for episode 143, our guest we're going to have modeler Harvey Lowe on the show.
Kentucky Dave:Yes, I've wanted to get Harvey on for some time and he's recently been globetrotting and I'm anxious to hear about that experience.
Mike:Yes, he's had a very model, hobby-centric trip to Japan recently and is fresh back from that at the end of May and we've got him coming on the show to talk about several aspects of that trip and really looking forward to having Harvey on the show.
Kentucky Dave:I am too.
Mike:Well, Dave, the dojo continues to grow and it continues to hop. What's been going on on there, man?
Kentucky Dave:Well, we're well above 5,300 members on our way to 54. It's been extremely active. We are now generally over 20 to 25 posts every single day. Of course, contest season is in full swing, so we're getting lots of posts from people who are attending contests and allowing us to attend virtually yeah, which is really great. You see the models on the tables and man people are getting really, really good at this hobby. It's impressive.
Kentucky Dave:We've had a couple of occasions lately where modelers have posted pleas for help or assistance, or we've had modelers who brought other modelers to the podcast and I've seen a couple of those recently and sent out little recognition. Thank yous to some dojovians who have either brought a listener to our podcast and to the dojo or who have assisted somebody who posted a plea for help. And I'm going to ask the dojo members if you have something where you need help, either you need help in how to do a certain technique, you need a certain model kit, you need a certain part, a certain paint or whatever, Please post it on the dojo. That's one of the things the dojo is for, and if a fellow dojovian out there helps you out, do me a favor, because I might not catch it all.
Kentucky Dave:I'm trying to be on the dojo a couple of times every day, but I'm also a practicing attorney and it kind of gets in the way sometimes. So if somebody helps you out, please DM me and let me know so I can reach out to that person. And Mike and I want to formalize recognizing people who are good citizen modelers in the dojo. It's one of the outgrowths that when Mike and I started the podcast we had no idea the thing was going to even exist, much less grow to the size of the community that it is. So please help me out. If you need help, post it in the dojo. If somebody helps you out because of a post in the dojo, please DM me and let me know what they did for you so that we can recognize those individuals.
Mike:Well, if this was a written brief, we might have to go back and edit that. It was ambiguous as to whether the practicing attorney got in the way of you being on the dojo or if the dojo got in the way of you being a practicing attorney.
Kentucky Dave:Let's keep that ambiguous for now. Okay.
Mike:Well, folks, sign up to the dojo. If you're not on Facebook, recommend other modelers and friends via the Facebook's function allows you to do that and we'll just keep watching it grow and having a good time. And in closing, dave, I'm going to add a little bit of trivia. Okay, in 141 episodes of Plastic Model Mojo, episode 141 was the only one that we've forgotten to close with our tagline Dave. So we're going to do it tonight. Okay, dave, as we always say, so many kids, so little time, dave. And we'll see you guys in the feature episodes in June. Thank you.
